There are several ways of saying “thank you” in Korean, but the right one to use largely depends on the level of respect you need to show someone. There are also certain phrases that are used to express gratitude in specific circumstances. Keep reading to learn more about the proper way of saying “thanks” in Korean.

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Steps

Method 1 of 4: Informal Thanks

1

Say "gomawo."[1] This is the simplest and most casual way of saying “thanks.”

Gomawo can also be romanized as “komawo.”

You should only use this phrase with someone who know you will not offend by being informal. Usually, this means close siblings or cousins, young children, and close friends or classmates.

To make this phrase slightly more polite or more formal, you could add “yo” (요)—pronounced like the “yo” in the English term “yo-yo”—to the end. It is usually omitted among close friends, however.[2]

Pronounce the phrase as ghoh-mah-wa. The first Hangul or Korean character in this phrase makes a soft "g" sound that is similar to the "k" sound.

The Hangul for the phrase is 고마워.

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2

State "kam sa hae yo." This is another fairly informal way of saying thanks that should be used amongst friends and people who are younger than you.

The addition of the yo (요) at the end of the phrase makes this slightly more polite, but it can be left off in extremely casual settings. The phrase overall is considered informal, though, regardless of whether the yo is included or not included.

The pronunciation of the phrase is similar to the way the romanization looks: kahm-sah-hae-yo. The “k” sound in this phrase should be pronounced as a hard “k.”

The Hangul for the phrase is 감사해요.

3

Turn an offer down with "aniyo, kwenchanayo." This phrase is the equivalent of saying “no, thank you” and is a fairly polite way to turn down an offer or favor.

A slightly more direct translation would be "No, that's okay."

A rough pronunciation of this phrase is ah-ni-oh, kwaen-chan-nah-yo."

The Hangul for the phrase is 아니오, 괜찮아요.

Method 2 of 4: Formal Thanks

1

Use "gomapseumnida."[3] This is a formal thanks used mostly for familiar people who have a higher rank or status than you have.

While this is a formal thanks, it is not the most formal. You can use this thanks as a way of thanking older family members, supervisors, or teachers, but if you need to show someone the utmost respect or gratitude, it is still not the best option.

This phrase can also be used with strangers, especially if they appear older than you, or with friends that you might otherwise speak informally with when you need to show sincere gratitude.

This phrase is also a common way of saying thanks to an instructor, opponent, or peer in a Taekwondo class or competition.[4]

A rough pronunciation of this phrase is goh-map-seub-ni-da. The character at the beginning of this phrase should be pronounced as a soft "g," similar in sound to a "k."

The Hangul for the phrase is 고맙습니다.

2

Express great thanks with "kamsahamnida." This phrase roughly translates into “thank you very much” and is the most formal way of expressing gratitude.

This is the phrase you should use when needing to give someone the utmost respect. Use it with esteemed individuals, family elders, instructors, supervisors, elder strangers, and anyone else to whom you might need to show a high degree of etiquette.

This is the other “thank you” phrase used with instructors in Taekwondo.

A rough pronunciation of this phrase would be kahm-sa-ham-nee-da. The "k" sound at the beginning of the term should be pronounced as a hard "k."

The Hangul for this phrase is 감사합니다.

Offer even greater thanks with "daedanhi gamsahamnida.” Daedanhi (대단히)—pronounced tay-dahn-hee, with the first phoneme sounding like a soft “d” or “t”—is a term you can use to emphasize your gratitude.[5]

You can also express great thanks by adding “nŏmu” (너무)—pronounced no-moo in front of the phrase. Nŏmu means “too,” and can be used to emphasize your feelings of gratitude for instances in which you receive a tremendous favor or gift.

Method 3 of 4: Situation-Specific Thanks

1

Thank someone for a meal with "jal mug get sum ni da."[6] Say this at the beginning of a meal to express gratitude to your host or to the cook.

A more literal translation of this phrase would be "I will eat well." While "thanks" is not an official part of the phrase, the use of this phrase does express gratitude for the food you are about to eat.

Pronounce this phrase as jhal-moog-get-soom-nee-da. The beginning syllable sounds similar to a soft "ch" sound.

The Hangul for the phrase is 잘 먹겠습니다.

Use “jal mug gut sum ni da” at the end of a meal. The only difference is that the get (겠) syllable in the original phrase is changed to gut (었). As a result, the meaning becomes “I ate well” instead of “I will eat well.”

Method 4 of 4: Replying to Thanks

1

Reply with "kwenchana." This is a common way to say "you're welcome" in Korean, especially amongst friends or in an informal setting.

A more literal translation would be “it's okay.”

You can make the phrase more polite by adding "yo" (요) to the end of it.

The phrase is roughly pronounced kwaen-chan-nah.

The Hangul for this expression is 괜찮아.

2

Use “anieyo.”[7] This expression is another alternative for saying “you're welcome.”

Essentially, you are saying “no.” The implication is simply that there is no need for thanks.

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